Multiple screen drive-in theater



L; E. WILSON MULTIPLE SCREEN DRIVE- N THEATER July 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1953 LEW/s EZ/ews W1. so,

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L. E. WILSON 2,895,179

- MULTIPLESCREYEN DRIVE-IN THEATER Filed Feb. 24, 195s July 21, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LEW/s EZGENE WLSON,

INVENTOR.

Fuss/v52 BEEHL 5e 14 02251. and Hsez/e .4 'T TOQ/VE 3 5. By UWVMH United States Patent MULTIPLE SCREEN DRIVE-1N THEATER Lewis Eugene Wilson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 24, 1953, Serial N 0. 338,211

2 Claims. (Cl. 211-112) The invention relates to theaters or outdoor spectacles and has particular reference to what are commonly known as out-of-door drive-in theaters wherein automobiles or cars are driven into the theater, parked at suitable stances and the theater or spectacle production viewed from the automobiles.

Drive-in theaters have been increasing in popularity and because of their character have been attracting large audiences. The screens are large and as a consequence sometimes as many as 1200 or more automobiles are accommodated at one time. When the show is over it frequently happens that all 1200 cars attempt to get back onto the highway at the same time presenting a considerable trafiic problem. The problems has been so acute that construction permits for new drive-in theaters have frequently been refused except under conditions where special provision is made to avoid traffic congestion both at the time the show starts and at the finish of the show.

There has also been an increasing tendency for entire families to attend drive-in theaters where the family car is parked and permitted to remain throughout an eve- 'nings performance. Many such families have limited facilities to take care of regular family needs which can well be taken care of while an evenings performance in a drive-in theater is being viewed such, for example, as washing of clothes in popular washing establishments, the repair of shoes, the pressing of clothes and other numerous and sundry domestic requisites and even the eating of meals out. Family habits have become such that many such family services can be made available to patrons of drive-in theaters to be taken advantage of while the show is in progress.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved type of drive-in theater group wherein individual theaters are provided each havinga smaller capacity than has heretofore been employed but the sum total of which in a given area may have the usual large capacity, the breaking up of the area into theaters of smaller capacity being employed to stagger the; acceptance of patrons to the theater and also to stagger the release of patrons from the theater after the show whichwthey have been watching is concluded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved drive-in theater group which is so designed as to be divided into a plurality of individual smaller theaters so arranged that they can be successively filled and emptied without congestion of the regular highway and furthermore so arranged that the show selected for presentation on any one evening can be presented in successive parts alternating from one theater to another so that, although the same show is viewed by all',;'t he conclusion of the showv occurs at a different time for'each theater in the group.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and'improved multiple drive-in theater group which is adaptable for installation on areas or tracts of varying geometric pattern and topography without sacrificing the advantages of a multiple arrangement wherein the time to accommodate 1000 to 1500 automobiles.

2,895,179 Patented July 21, 1959 at which a show concludes can be varied so as to occur at successive intervals for the different theaters.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple drive-in theater group wherein the group is divided into individual theaters with the performance staggered between theaters and also wherein the theaters of the group are so arranged that ample service area is provided at a common and convenient location to all to facilitate the enjoyment of domestic services or eating facilities, rest room facilities and even marketing and store facilities so that the service area can be utilized to best advantage on a paying basis though patronized only by persons comprising the audiences of the drive-in theater group.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple drive-in theater group so arranged with respect to individual theaters comprising the group that although one individual theater may be emptying or filling while an adjacent individual theater is enjoying the presentation of a show, headlights of moving automobiles in the individual theaters which are emptying or filling will not interfere with the enjoyment of the performance in the individual theater where the performance is being staged and moveover wherein the individual theaters are so arranged that a common service area may be appropriately illuminated so as to be in use at all times during the presentation of shows without interfering with the enjoyment of the show itself.

Also among the objects of the invention is to provide a multiple drive-in theater group divided up into individual theaters so that on days of limited patronage only one or two individual theaters may be in use, thereby 1imiting the necessity for hiring a full complement of employees, more than might be needed for the number of patrons accommodated, minimizing use of equipment. janitor service and also the relative size of equipment such as the size of the screen and projection machines.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention wherein a multiple drive-in theater group is installed on a substantially rectangular area or plot adjacent a highway.

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a drive-in theater group accommodated to an area or lot of extraordinary shape.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a somewhat circular arrangement of individual theaters facing inwardly instead of outwardly as depicted in Figures 1 and 3.

Figure 5 is an elevational view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In accordance with present day practice it has been found that drive-in theaters: can be operated to advantage economically when they are built of such size as Since each automobile occupies space about sixteen feet long and since a substantial amount of space must be retained both behind and in front of the stance or plot allotted to each automobile to get in and out, the area needed to accommodate some 1200 automobiles is exceptionally large. This means that the screen must be enormous in order to be seen from all parts of the theater at an advantageous angle and that the projection equipment must be extremely high-powered in order to spread the light over so large a screen thereby to throw an image 3 Y on the screen bright enough and with suflicient clarity to be seen with ease. There is also the problem of cars entering and leaving while the show is in progress, the movement of --which interferes with the enjoyment of the show by the patrons of other cars already parked; Further still in some parts of the country the topography is such that only with excessive grading costs and much difficulty can an area sufficiently large to accommodate 1200 automobiles be utilized for a drive-in theater; Obviously also in theaters of such size when the patronage is small there is considerable overhead involved in maintaining these vast facilities which makes it difficult under such circumstances to operate economic'ally. Further still, the employment of double features currently in vogue presents difficulties in the drive-in theater arrangement since, although many patrons insist on the double feature arrangement, other patrons are equally insistent upon a single feature arrangement. The ditficulties suggested are to a very large extent minimized or obviated by the employment of a multiple drive-in theater group of the kind herein disclosed.

Inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, forexample, an ideal arrangement of a multiple drive-in theater group is shown. As there illustrated a parking area designated generally by the reference character is bounded by a north wall 11, a south wall 12, an east wall 13 and awest wall 14.

Entrance to the area is gained by an entering holdout lane 15 shown as leading from a highway 16 around the east wall of the area to the mid-portion of the north wall. The entering hold-out area is shown as comprising four lanes, the aggregate capacity of which should preferably be about equal to the aggregate capacity of the entire area 10. For convenience an attraction or feature board 17 may be located at an entrance 18- and the entrance so arranged as to admit automobiles from either direction traveling along the high' way 16. A box office 19 may be provided at a location well removed from the entrance which allows cars to quickly pull off the highway which prevents stacking upon the road and accidents, and a portion 20 of the entering hold-out lane inside the box ofiice may be divided by fixed fences 21 separating that portion of the entering hold-out lane into as many separate passageways as there are individual theaters in the group.

The area 10 is here shown as divided into four individual theaters identified by the reference characters 25, 26, 27 and 28. Each of the individual theaters is ori ented so as to be facing outwardly toward the corner of the rectangular area and in each corner respectively are located projection screens 29, 30, 31 and 32.

Each individual theater is fed by its own individual entrance lane as, for example, the theater is fed from the lane or passageway 33 through an entrance port 34 from which cars circle around at the rear of each of the rows 35 of car parking plots or stances, the auto mobiles being located in the usual manner to that the cars face a general direction toward the screen. As illustrated in Figure 2 each car parking plot or stance has a forward elevation 36 so that the front of each car is tipped up in order that the occupants may have a clear view of the screen over the top of the car in front while resting comfortably in the seats of the car. Since there are normally only 5 to 7 rows in each theater for the accommodation of 1000 or more cars, the pitch of ramps forming the rows is quite gentle and the cost inexpensive. As a contrast, in the usual 1000 to 1500 car single screen theater there are 12 to 18 rows which means that for the rear cars: to see over those in front, the ramps of the rear rows must be quite high, which involves moving large quantities of earth, and the cost is correspondingly great.

Similarly individual theater 26 is fed from an individual entrance lane 37 from which cars travel along a passage or lane 38 until they reach the rear of the theater 26 where the customary parking procedure takes place. An entrance lane 39 feeds into a passageway or 'lane 40 through which cars travel to the rear of the theater 27. An entrance lane 41 furnishes cars which pass through an entrance port 42 where they are admitted to the rear of the theater 28.

For exit cars from the theater 25 drive to aisles or spaces immediately in front of the row of car parking plots or stances which they occupy, turn left to an exit lane 50 and then travel along an extension 51 of the exit lane which lies adjacent the theater 26 to an exit port 52 at which the cars or automobiles emerge upon a highway 53, or to exit lane 56 and highway 16.

Similarly cars from the theater 26 turn into aisles or appropriate spaces in front of the rows of car parking plots, also turn right into an exit lane 54 from which they emerge through an exit port 55 into an enlarged exit lane 56 from which they can travel either to the highway 53 or the highway 16. Cars from the theater 27 exit in a somewhat similar manner through an exit lane 57, thence into the enlarged exit lane 56. Cars from the theater 28 pass along an exit lane 58 and also enter the enlarged exit lane 56 along which they can travel again to one or another of the highways.

As further indicated in Figures 1 and 2 there is a service area or space 60 a portion of which is taken from the rear or least usable portion of each of the individual theaters. This common service area may be a park, playground, concession, or paved area for almost any purpose. Being at the rear of each of the theaters and cars it can be adequately lighted at all times so that full use can be made of it. At about the middle of the service area may be a service building 61 which can be used for such things as a snack bar, hair dressing and barber shop, shoe repair establishment, laundromats, clothes cleaning and pressing establishments and even car servicing, so located that customers of establishments in the service area can see and enjoy the presentation on one or another of the screens while still making use of facilities in the service area and thus not interrupt their enjoyment of the show which others in the family car, for example, might be enjoying. In certain portions of the United States, this central portion or area might be flooded and frozen for skating and winter sports, using the theaters for parking areas and the snack bar for hot food, thus bringing the theater owner revenue in a non-productive time of year.

On top of the building 61 there may be located a projection booth 62 which will be at an elevation sufliciently high to enjoy an unobstructed projection path to all of the screens. Various types of projection equipment may be employed to suit different circumstances. For example, a split image projector might be used to place the same show on opposite screens simultaneously while a different show is projected on the intermediate screens. Under other circumstances the alternate screens might be dark While the patrons are either filling or leaving the respective theaters. Under similar circumstances and for a performance of, for example, an hours duration, the first fifteen-minute portion of the show can be projected onto the screen of theater 25 and then moved to the screen of theater 26. The second portion is then projected to the screen of theater 25 and thus on around successively to the four theaters. Under such an arrangement only one complete film sequence would be needed to reach four different theaters.

Because of the closeness of each car to the screen, a screen providing a 30 x 40 foot picture would be sufficient instead of the usual 50 x 65 foot picture for a theater of 1000 to 1500 cars. A clearer picture is made possible projected by less cumbersome and expensive projection equipment. While a longer throw is needed which involves a longer focal length lens, a

given amount of light is spread over 1200 square feet in a 30 x 60 screen instead of. over 3250 square feet as in the case of a 50 x 65 foot screen. A much brighter image on the smaller screen is therefore present.

The fact that the projection room may be located well above ground is attended with advantages in construction and utilization not present in systems where the projection equipment must be located below ground in order for the cars behind it to see over it, chief among these being the ability of the projection room above ground to focus directly on the screen in a substantially horizontal line of projection, thereby to minimize the distortion which would accompany projection upon the screen at an angle.

Should air conditioning of such out-of-door theaters be attempted in a manner which might lend itself to structures built in the warmer and colder portions of the United States, piping and vents to individual car locations could be made at much less expense extending outwardly from a common central service area than would be the case in conventional drive-in theaters. Air conditioning would in consequence be more readily made possible and thus extend use of drive-in theaters over a longer period of each year. The fact that a small patronage only sufiicient to fill a single theater might be enjoyed on certain occasions effects a comparable economy in the operation of air conditioning systems installed in the multiple drive-in theaterof the invention.

There are of course numerous. circumstances where an ideal arrangement with sufiicient room for four, more or less symmetrically arranged individual theaters of equal size might be used. This could be for inability to secure suflicient unoccupied land area near the outskirts of a city. A restricted area illustrative of such limitations in shown in Figure 3. In a comparable situation even the area available as a multiple theater illustrated in Figure 3 might be on a considerable slope which would necessitate extra grading. The multiple plan lends itself particularly well to exploitation of the site exemplified by the area of Figure ,3 whether due to a variance in geometric pattern or topography. For example, one theater can be on -a high level and another on a low level, thus following the natural topography and eliminating expensive grading as is the case in a single screen theater. i

As illustrated in. Figure 3 there is shown a parking area 70 from which a large section 71 is removed. To best accommodate the area to a plurality of theaters two relatively large individual theaters 72 and 73 are provided of substantially equal capacity and a smaller individual theater 74 is interposed between them on one side. As described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 there is provided an entrance hold-out lane 75 having a capacity about equal to the capacity of the entire area and fed from a highway 76. Intermediate the ends of the entrance hold-out area may be provided a cashier station 77 on the inside of which the entrance hold-out area is divided into separated lanes or passageways, namely, a lane 78 for theater 72, a lane 79 for theater 74, and alane 80 for theater 73.

The theaters are provided with exits corresponding in a general fashion to the exits described in connection with Figure 1. The threater 72 has an exit lane 81 lead ing therefrom to a combined exit lane 82 communicating with the highway 76. Theater 74 communicates through an exit port 83 directly with the common exit lanes 82 as does also theater 73 through its exit port 84.

Similar also is the fact that admission to the plan as a whole is substantially at the center of the plan and further that screens 85, 86 and 87, respectively, for the theaters 72, 73 and 74 are at outside corners of the area 70. Here again there is provided a common service area 88 having a common service building 89 located thereon on top of which is a common projection booth 90 serving all of the screens.

It should be noted in this connection that a substantial'amount of grading is necessary for the proper construction of the rows of plots upon which cars are stationed for viewing the show. By way of comparison only it might be borne in mind that when the entire area is to be taken up with a single theater, should the area be on even a slight slope, the entire area would have to be graded to a common level in order that each row of car parking plots or stances might be construced to furnish a proper view of the screen by the occupants in the car. Should the grade or slope of the area be considerable, the cost and extent of grading might be pro hibitive.

On the other hand in the case of the multiple drive-in theater group as illustrated in Figure 3, for example, even if the entire area 70 should be on a considerable slope, each of the individual theaters might readily be graded to its own individual level and further still the steeper portion of the slope might be used for a smaller theater and the remaining portions used for the larger theaters in order to minimize grading.

It will become readily apparent that the number of individual theaters in a single theater group might be varied considerably while following the same general pattern of arrangement already suggested so that the multiple arrangement could be adapted to a great variety of odd shaped areas or lots regardless of the topography on which they might lie.

A modified type of arrangement is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. This arrangement, although incorporating most of the advantages of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1, Zand 3, reverses the direction of the individual theaters in that they are directed toward the center rather than toward the outside edge or perimeter of the area. The arrangement of Figure 4, however, still maintains the scheme of entrance at the center of the plan and attendant advantages. As there shown the area used for theater purposes hasa somewhat circular perimeter divided into segments 101, 102, 103 and 104 comprising four individual theaters all facing toward the center of the plan. As previously suggested there is provided an entrance 105 adjacent an attraction board 106 located at the side of a highway 107. An entrance hold-out lane of line-up space 108 is provided capable of accommodating a substantially large portion of the'entire capacity of the multiple theater group. A cashier station 109 is inthis instance located near the center of the plan and cars once passing the cashier station fan out into lanes running to the different theaters. For example, a lefthand entrance lane 110 supplies the theater 101, an entrance lane 111 runing entirely through a common central area 112 supplies theater 102, a corresponding entrance lane 113 supplies theater 103, and an entrance lane 114 extending toward the right supplies theater 104. Cars from the respective lanes pass to the rear of the rows 115 of car parking plots or stances directing themselves upon the plots so that the front wheels are elevated as suggested in Figure 2, which practice is substantially conventional.

For exit the theater 101 is provided with an exit lane 116 which merges into a common exit 117 communicating with the highway 107. An exit lane 118 from theater 102 feeds in the same direction into the common exit 117. An exit 119 from theater 103 feeds into a common exit lane 120 which joins the highway and accepts cars exiting from exit lane 121 of theater 104.

To prevent headlights of cars in any one of the theaters 101 or 102 from interfering with the enjoyment of the show, in theaters 102 and 103 or vice versa there may be provided curtains or screens 122, 122a and 123 to appropriately block the headlight glare regardless of which direction cars might be moving. This screen may also be useful to prevent the occcupants in a car of one theater from seeing two screens at one time.

In this last described plan a rear projection system is most advantageously employedwherein a projection booth 124; is locatedabove the level of the entrance lanes so as to'project upon the backs of translucent screens 125, 126, 127 and 128 serving. respective theaters 101, 102, 103 and 104. In this particular plan to successfully utilize the service area 112 batfles 129, 130, 131 and 132 would need to be employed in orderto shield the eyes of the patrons in the respective theaters from the brightness, of the illuminated service area. The service area in the last identified plan is adapted for use as a park or area for sundry services in the same general fashion as was described in connection with Figures 1 and 2. This rear view projection can accommodate television so that a great number of people can congregate for a sport event or other event of local or national interest.

A rear projection arrangement such as that suggested in connection with Figures 4 and 5 has other advantages in that an especially bright image can be created on the screen thus making it possible to use the theaters much:

earlier in the evening than would be possible by employment of conventional front view projection systems. Virtually all of the other advantages inherent in the construction of theaters as described in connection with Figures 1, 2 and 3 are present to an equal degree in the theater group shown and described in connection with r Figures 4 and 5.

The versatility inherent in the arrangements of the multiple drive-in theater groups set forth in detail herein will be readily apparent and other advantages will readily suggest themselves. The plan permits the construction of f2" satisfactory drive-in theaters in many places where suchtheaters of the conventional type could not be built under any circumstances and permits the construction of such theaters in a manner adapted to be operated on an exceptionally economical basis as well as promoting virtually a maximum of convenience and desirability in all respects.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention,

dividual theaters each having a plurality of rows of car parking plots, a common service area, rear projection picture-producing media within said service area at an elevated location and a screen for each individual theater cooperable therewith, an entrance hold-out lane common to all individual theaters in communication with a highway and' located between adjoining individual theaters, individual entrance lanes in communication with the hold-out lane through the service area to the respective individual theaters, an exit lane for each individual theater at a side thereof removed from the entrance lane, common exits for adjoining individual theaters adapted to communicate with the highway, screens separating each theater from the respectively adjacent theaters, and a light baffle between each theater and the service area.

2. A multiple drive-in theater group comprising a parking area divided into a plurality of inwardly facing individual theaters each having a plurality of rows of car parking'plots, a centrally located service area common to all individual theaters, a projection booth having projection equipment therein and located within said service area at an elevated location and common to all said individual theaters, a rear projection screen for each individual theater cooperable with the projection equipment, an entrance hold-out lane for the individual theaters in communimtion with a highway and located between a pair of adjoining individual theaters, individual entrance lanes extending from the hold-out lane through a portion only of the service area to the respective individual theaters, a cashier station between the hold-out lane and the entrance lanes serving all said entrance lanes, common exits for adjoining individual theaters adapted to communicate with the highway, screens separating each theater from the respectively adjacent theaters, and a light baffle between each theater and the service area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,957,947 Dreyfuss May 8, 1934 2,058,179 Rommert Oct. 20, 1936 2,146,102 Williamson Feb. 7, 1939 2,463,339 Wetzel et a1. Mar. 1, 1949 2,638,636 Po'ol May 19, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES The Architectural Forum, April 1944. 

